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Ever feel like a "low dollar" customer that your dealer doesn't think worth their time?

I'm a careful researcher for audio gear and I also understand the value of brick and mortar stores. I am not OCD and I am not an irascible haggler. Indeed, I have told my local stores that if they carry something I like, I will buy from them and not try to find it cheaper on the net. I have purchased major pieces of gear from them.

Nevertheless, one local shop is erratic in how it treats me. Emails can take a long time to get acknowledged, and often exchanges take several back-and-forths to get clear questions answered. This shop sells gear at my price point and up to 10x more (think Wilson speakers, $7k power cords). I often feel I'm more like a fly buzzing around their heads than a valued customer trying to establish a customer-dealer relationship. I am trying to be loyal, but it makes me want to shop online. I could be reading the situation wrong, but this is definitely a pattern.

Has anyone else had the sense that they were too much of a "low dollar" customer to be worth the dealer's time?
hilde45

Showing 3 responses by devilboy

devilboy
1,176 posts
 
Years ago, something happened to me and I wrote in to The Absolute Sound and Stereophile and they both printed my story. Now, I share it with you...

I called a brick-and-mortar store and asked them to listen to a turntable that I was interested in purchasing. The turntable, tonearm and cartridge altogether retailed for around $2,500. The guy on the phone actually told me that he would not take the time to set up that combination. He would, however, set up something for me to listen to if I was spending around $10,000.

NO BS!!! TRUE STORY.

Needless to say this put a very bad taste in my mouth. But I guess karma is a b**** because he was associated with some shady business deals and had to close up shop shortly thereafter.

Still...WTF?
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
I can't believe some of the stories I'm reading here. 

@wideload ... Wow. Sickening.
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
@rushfan71 I also called a speaker manufacturer once with questions about some of his products. He also sounded as if he didn’t want to be bothered and answering my questions was the LAST thing on Earth he wanted to do.

AND he has speakers that look like they have many tweeters... So interesting indeed.
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